driftfleet | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Who: Everyone
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Iskaulit
When:

[So we've been stuck on the poison moon for a couple months now, so a lot of people probably want to get away from that.

Unfortunately, the only place you really can get away from it besides your own ship is the Iskaulit. So, here's a June Iskaulit mingle!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's a novel, Charles. Obsession has always been a part of literature, especially romance. Did you never read Jane Eyre?

Briefly. I was never into Brontë. They had a very strange view of the psyche.

I can't say I immersed myself in them either. It was just an-- [He stops abruptly, eyes tracking to the left. The vision is back. With a forced sigh, he looks back towards Charles.] An example.

[ Charles frowns. He could feel it, like being submerged in water. Instead of pushing through, Charles tries to insert his presence into the hallucination, leaning against the wall quietly. ]

[There's a strange moment where the vision blurs, and Erik sees a shadow.] What are you doing...?

[ Trying something different, Charles replies, can you see me? ]

I can see... something. It's shadowy. [He bites down on the nerves it inspires, knowing that this is Charles's influence and not himself seeing phantom things.]

[ Charles frowns, pulling it back. ]

And now?

It's gone. [He forgoes 'looking' at Charles for now. He can't see him, and he's sure it's only bizarre to be stared at by someone who's essentially blind.]

Would you prefer it to be there? Or I -- I could just read to you. To keep your mind off it.

You... can do both. [He's not particularly fond of the shadow, but it's something, and it could give Charles much-needed insight into how to break through an augment's interference.]

[ He nods. Charles eases himself back into the vision, focusing on the details - his height, his mannerisms, his outline, hoping that it will stick. Meanwhile he flicks to the next page and begins ready outloud. ]

“You wanted hearts and flowers,” he murmurs.
I blink at him, not quite believing what I’m seeing.
“You have my heart.” And he waves toward the room.
“And here are the flowers,” I whisper, completing his sentence. “Christian, it’s lovely.”

[Erik's attention is split between hearing the words - and really, who writes like this? - and watching the shadow materialise before him again. This time, the outline takes a more solid shape, slowly.]

And you said there's another book after this.

[ He fleshes out the details, like painting a picture. ]

Yes? I believe so. I got two.

[Little by little, the shadow gains more shape.]

Clearly someone out there reads them, if there's call enough for sequels.

We all have our guilty pleasures. Surely you have a few.

I'm not going to trot them out when you already know them.

I wouldn't say I know all of them.

Name the ones you do.

[ Charles makes a hmm noise as he sets his book down. ]

Talk about mutant genetics and their superior evolutionary abilities.

Does that really count, when I don't feel guilty about it?

[ He frowns, sulky. ]

Make this hard for me, why don't you. Let's see . . . [ His fingers reach to play with Erik's sleeve. ] . . . men in aprons?

[Erik looks down towards his wrist, watching the shadow move. The contact seems to solidify it further, ground it in reality.]

I wouldn't mind seeing you in one, but you hate cooking. So it's an unfulfilled fantasy.

[ He grins, pleased that he could uncover one. ]

I could make it happen.

[Erik smiles at him, at the shadow. It's getting close now.]

I'll remember that.